Leh- With cybercrime cases rising sharply across Ladakh in recent years, authorities are stepping up measures to strengthen prevention, investigation and response to digital fraud, online scams and other cyber-enabled financial crimes, officials said on Wednesday.
Alongside enforcement measures, a growing network of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), financial institutions and community stakeholders is joining hands with law-enforcement agencies to take financial literacy and cyber-safety awareness to the grassroots, they said.
According to official figures, 1,077 cybercrime complaints involving approximately Rs 10 crore were reported in Ladakh between 2021 and 2026.
The cases increased sharply, from 43 in 2022 to 366 in 2025, prompting the administration to step up its cybercrime response.
As a key counter-measure, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena on August 27 approved the establishment of a dedicated cyber police station in Ladakh, with jurisdiction across the Union territory.
The notification came into force with immediate effect.
“As Ladakh rapidly adopts digital banking, UPI, e-commerce and e-governance services, we must ensure that our citizens are protected from the emerging threats in the digital space.
“A dedicated cyber police station will strengthen our capacity to prevent cybercrime, protect citizens from financial fraud and ensure swift investigation and response. We are committed to building a secure and trusted digital environment for the people of Ladakh,” Saxena had said.
Ladakh Police is also strengthening the skills and preparedness of its personnel. A two-day training-cum-workshop on cybercrime response, investigation and use of cybercrime portals was conducted at the police headquarters in Leh on August 31 and September 1, a police spokesman said.
Police personnel from district cyber cells and cyber help desks participated in the workshop, which covered cybercrime complaint response, the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), financial-fraud management, financial-trail and multi-account investigation, e-Zero-FIR registration, digital evidence and cybercrime investigation workflows, the spokesman said.
It placed particular emphasis on timely response to cybercrime complaints, effective utilisation of national cybercrime platforms, monitoring of cases and pendency, and strengthening investigation capabilities at the district and police-station levels, he said.
Over the past couple of weeks, citizens have been urged to dial 1930 immediately after a cyber fraud, with the first 60 minutes described as the “golden hour”, when prompt reporting can significantly improve the possibility of tracing and recovering the defrauded funds.
An advisory was issued during Bajaj Finance Ltd’s ‘Arthsutra Samvad’, a financial literacy and awareness initiative conducted at Chuchot and Phyang.
The campaign brought together cyber police officers, students, women, village leaders and youth to promote financial awareness, responsible money management and the safe use of digital financial services, the officials said.
The initiative aims to promote practical financial knowledge and informed decision-making through community-based programmes across rural and underbanked communities.
The Leh sessions covered savings, budgeting, responsible borrowing, timely loan repayment, financial planning and safe digital financial practices, alongside awareness about cyber fraud, a Bajaj Finance spokesperson said.
At the government higher secondary school in Chuchot, students were sensitised to responsible smartphone use, online financial risks and common forms of cyber fraud.
“Students are among the most active users of digital platforms and can help parents and elders recognise suspicious calls, messages, links and investment offers. Digital literacy today must include financial awareness and the ability to identify digital deception,” Principal Yahya Khan said.
“Early awareness can prevent mistakes that may have serious financial consequences for families,” he added.
The programme at Phayang brought together former councillor Tundup Nurboo Cheetah, village head Tsewang Nurboo, youth leader Gyaltson, along with cyber police officers.
“Financial awareness is particularly important for young people as they increasingly use digital payments and online services. We need to understand both how to manage money responsibly and how to protect it from fraud,” Gyaltson said.
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